The $30 million building will include new studio space for nearly 150 artists along with a 1,600-square-foot gallery and sound-proofed spaces for musicians. The building will be located adjacent to historic Building 101 which currently serves 150 artists itself and is part of “America’s largest artist colony,” The Point.

Designed to be affordable, studio rental rates will be set to simply cover operating costs and are projected to be around $1.11 per square foot when the building opens in mid-2016, versus current rents of up to $3.50 per square for comparable spaces in San Francisco.

Solar panels atop the building and operable windows will help keep operating costs low in perpetuity.

It is a workspace, not a place for them to live. Why would admins and servers be wanting such rental space? Have you been to their Open Studios event twice a year? Check it out, you will totally get it.

I agree with you, but I understand the negativity. Part of city life is that there are weird little art events. I remember when I first moved here about a decade ago, I found a pop-up art gallery in what had been a recently closed Chinese buffet in the Mission. All the restaurant equipment was still there. They had a photo exhibit on Norwegian Black Metal music. And that’s one of a hundred experiences that are part of the reason I moved here.

But there are many people, kids especially, who treat being an artist like an extended childhood with no responsibilities. Some are trustafarians and others just squat in warehouses. I, like many people here, am a bit bitter about my party-less young adulthood, even though I can now afford to buy a house in the city, whereas few of the artists ever will. But it’s a bit distasteful subsidizing what we see as the sex, drugs, and cool lifestyle that we never got to have.

But there is a solution. Buy art from a couple of the cool upcoming artists. When you get to about 10k in sales, you start getting invited to the parties. And then the idea of subsidizing photographers when they are asking if “they can use your place for a photoshoot, oh and by the way, would you mind if they hired models, oh and also, maybe we can have a party afterwards, You said you had a hot tub, right?” becomes a lot more interesting.

This is a great thing, and a win for the shipyard. First, it doesn’t destroy the significant artist community that has been practicing there for many years. Second, it adds a creative element to all the new development there. The shipyard will be a master planned community, so it ain’t organic growth. At least let’s add some artists in the mix.